Designed and revealed by Mary, the Medal is unique among all medals.

It was almost midnight when St. Catherine Labouré was awakened by a soft voice, whispering, “Sister, sister, sister.” Mysterious events led her to the chapel where the Blessed Mother appeared and sat down near the altar. St. Catherine knelt at her feet, rested her hands in Mary’s lap, looked into her eyes, and had a heart-to-heart conversation with her. Later, St. Catherine would refer to that night as “the sweetest moment of my life.”

Four months later, in November of 1830, Mary again appeared to St. Catherine at the Rue de Bac Chapel. This time, our Blessed Mother was standing on a globe, with dazzling rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands. Framing the apparition was an inscription: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” When Mary spoke to St. Catherine, she said “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. Those who repeat this prayer with devotion will be, in a special manner, under the protection of the Mother of God. Graces will be abundantly bestowed upon those who have confidence.”

With approval of the Catholic Church, the first medals were made in 1832 and distributed in Paris. Only ten of the original medals are known to exist, and one of them is housed at the Miraculous Medal Shrine.

Almost immediately, the blessings that Mary promised showered down on those who wore her medal, and soon all of France was clamoring for what the people referred to as the “Miraculous Medal.” Use of the Medal spread from country to country, and, at the time of St. Catherine’s death in 1876, more than a billion medals had been made. Today, the Medal is still drawing down from God blessings for body and soul.

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Wearing The Miraculous Medal

Here are some rules for wearing a Miraculous Medal:

• Wear it around the neck: According to Our Lady, the medal should be worn around the neck. 
• Have it blessed: It’s best to wear a medal that has been blessed by a priest. A priest or delegated lay person can invest the wearer in the medal using the approved rite. 
• Wear it with confidence: According to Our Lady, those who wear the medal with confidence will receive great graces. 
• Wear it as a sign of devotion: The medal is a visible sign of devotion to Mary and Jesus. 
• Wear it as a reminder of faith: The medal can be a daily reminder of faith. 

The Miraculous Medal is a popular piece of jewelry for Catholics, but anyone can wear it. The medal originated from apparitions to French nun Saint Catherine Laboure.The medal’s front and back are full of symbolism. 

• THE MEANING OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL.pdfDuring Our Lady’s visit to Catherine on November 27, 1830, rays of light flowed from rings on her fingers that were made of precio…St Joseph Church | Chehalis, WA
• The Hidden Symbolism in the Miraculous Medal – EWTNNov 27, 2023 — The History of the Miraculous Medal During one of many apparitions to French nun Saint Catherine Laboure, Our Lady gav…EWTN
• Investiture of the Miraculous Medal – SS. Cyril and Methodius ParishNov 13, 2024 — A person becomes a member by wearing a Miraculous Medal that has been blessed by a priest. It is fitting that the pers…saintcyrils.church
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